Up next: 8 countries in 60 days!

With the stoves officially finished, I am preparing to leave Cunen on Tuesday.  Instead of focusing on just how sad that is, I'm trying to be excited about my upcoming plans--which is pretty easy, because they are kinda awesome.  Up first--a two month vacation through South and Central America!  I'm flying with my sitemate Kate to Peru on Wednesday to visit Machu Picchu, and then continuing north through Ecuador and Colombia.  We will part ways at the end of May, and I will continue on through Central America back up to Guatemala, and fly home from there in early July. 

Thanks to everyone who has supported me the past 2 years, and in particular the last 2 months.  I am so grateful that I am able to leave having accomplished what I came here to do!

Inauguration: Mission accomplished!

Friday was an incredibly exciting day--the inauguration of the stoves!  Since the stoves were built in two different communities, we decided to do separate events in each community.  Up first--inaugurating the 15 stoves built in the community of Tzanabaj!



Diego (my counterpart) helping decorate

Being a Guatemalan event, the main order of the day were speeches.  Speeches were given by the director of our health center, my counterpart, myself, the mayor, and the ladies.  I must say, of all the Guatemalan events that I have been too, this was the quickest.  Usually the speeches drag on forever, but I think we were all getting hungry for the lunch that was to follow, so we managed to keep it brief.


All the ladies listening intently to the speeches



Me giving a speech, everyone got a kick out of me wearing traje,
and were very impressed when I opened my speech in K'iche'. 
Just don't tell them that all I can say in K'iche' are greetings.



The ladies presenting me with a gift of appreciation, a beautiful scarf

After the speeches, we moved on to one of the houses for the official ribbon cutting!


Ribbon cutting with the mayor

We finished up with lunch, which I have no pictures of, as I was busy stuffing my face and embarassing myself.  I was on such a high after my "speech" in K'iche', that I tried to show off some more with the mayor.  I tried to tell him to eat, and apparently I actually told him that I want him.  Oops...

After lunch, all the ladies insisted on having their picture taken with me!

Once again, thank you everyone for your support!  This would not have been possible without all your help!

With one of my favorite ladies, Roselia

Stoves and Cute Kids who are Happy to have New Stoves

The stoves continue to move along spectacularly.  After coming to a demonstration, all the families are responsible for building their own stoves.  So, last week I went to visit a number of the families to check on their progress.  And honestly, I was a little worried what would happen. Would they really be able to build their own after watching, just once?  Or would they all be misshapen messes that wouldn't actually work (which is what would happen if I had to build one by myself....)? But I was happy to find that pretty much everyone has finished their stoves, and everyone else is well on their way! 

And, here are some more pictures of cute Guatemalan kids.  Cuz who gets tired of that?

Note:  These pictures were taken during an impromptu photo shoot that took place while
everyone else was working/carrying heavy materials to their homes.

He saw I was taking pictures and immediately posed.  Notice his brother in the background,
about to carry blocks to their home using the head-strap thing

My favorite kid in Las Vegas.  She is always smiling.  Also, my personal favorite picture of the bunch. 
It was taken by a 9 year old who got ahold of my camera, and has probably never taken a picture before. 

Diva pose, or yawn?

Let the building begin!

After months of planning, fundraising, and subjecting myself to mild sexual harassment from the mayor, last week we were finally able to start the building of the stoves!  Enjoy some pictures from the big day!



Breaking ground on stove #1!

Carrying water to add to the concrete mixture

I made all the ladies help out.  Women's empowerment!



Each women had to come see a stove being built, so she (or her husband) could then build hers

Materials--Check!

Wednesday was an exciting day, as we handed out materials to all the ladies!  Here is the day in pictures.


Handing out the stove tops at the Health Post to the ladies from Tzanabaj



Picture in front of the blocks and bricks...seconds before chaos ensued.....  You can tell how excited everyone
is because they are all smiling.  Guatemalans never smile in pictures!



Okay everyone, grab 35 blocks and 22 bricks!  Not surprisingly, a few went
missing in the process.  But, we worked it out.



Repeat in Las Vegas, the other village.  The ladies sitting with their piles of materials

Carrying the materials home

Cutie pitching in!

Thank you, Gracias, Maltiox!

Although we are technically behind the optimistic schedule I had planned, Things are moving right along.  Thursday and Friday, the cement and stove tops that the mayor ordered for us were delivered!

Friday, I ordered the portion of the materials that are being paid for using the money I received from donations.  A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported the project.  The amount donated exceeded that which was necessary for the projects!  The materials are being delivered tomorrow, which means, barring any of the million setbacks that could occur, we should be able to start building Thursday!

So, thank you!  Gracias!  Maltiox! (that's thank you in K'iche')

And the muni comes through!

This afternoon, I paid yet another visit to the muni to turn in the latest set of papers that they had asked for.  The first time I went, of course, the person who I needed to talk to (the treasurer) wasn't there.  So, went back a couple of hours later and managed to catch him. 

At first, things seemed to not be going so well.  He asked for some papers that I had already turned in to the secretary and pulled a few "fijese ques" (how every Guatemalan starts the sentence when they are giving bad news).

But then, something amazing happened.  He got on the phone and called the hardware store and told them to deliver the cement and stove tops to the health post!!!  For TOMORROW!  We'll see when we actually get them, but things are finally happening!  Yay!